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Accommodation Tax advisory committee approves grants for Vienna Boys Choir engagement, Hanukkah, farmers market and theater
Summary
The Beaufort County Accommodation Tax Advisory Committee approved multiple ATAX grants, including $10,000 for the Hilton Head Choral Society27s Vienna Boys Choir concerts, $7,770.25 for Congregation Beth Yam27s Hanukkah event, $66,500 for the Farmers Market of Bluffton and $49,764 for May River Theater; a New Bluffton Worship request was also approved though an amount was not specified in the record.
The Accommodation Tax Advisory Committee approved multiple grants for arts and community events during its meeting, voting to support a Vienna Boys Choir engagement, a Hanukkah celebration, the Bluffton farmers market and the May River Theater27s 2026 season.
Committee members voted by voice to award $10,000 to the Hilton Head Choral Society to help underwrite the society27s presentation of the Vienna Boys Choir on Feb. 23-24 at Lowcountry Community Church in Bluffton. Christine Sibley Hart, president of the Hilton Head Choral Society, told the committee the two-night engagement could draw as many as 2,000 attendees and "will generate measurable tourism and economic impact." The society asked that the full $10,000 be applied to advertising and presented a budget breakdown for promotion and program production.
Rachel Pepin, director of programming for Congregation Beth Yam, requested $7,770.25 to support the synagogue27s third annual Bluffton Hanukkah celebration in Martin Family Park. Pepin said most of the request covers advertising and event production, and that the group has secured a rainout location and has documented refunds from a rain-canceled rental the prior year. The committee approved the request by voice vote.
Kim Viljack, executive director of the Farmers Market of Bluffton, requested $66,500 to support advertising and marketing for the 2026 season, which the market said will include 49 events and attract an estimated 1,500 visitors per market day. Viljack said the market is stepping up regional outreach and hiring marketing support to increase sponsorship and attendance. Members approved the Farmers Market request by voice vote.
Elizabeth Schleiger, board chair of May River Theater, asked for $49,764 to cover royalties and advertising for the theater27s 2026 performance season. Schleiger noted increased sponsorship capacity and education programming enabled by core-season support; the committee approved the request.
A representative of New Bluffton Worship described the group27s long-running Christmas Eve "Under the Stars" service at Oyster Factory Park and the committee approved that application as well, though no dollar amount appears in the record of the meeting.
Staff reported the committee27s first-quarter FY26 ATAX allocation was just under $280,000 (about $10,000 more than the same quarter last year) and that roughly $258,000 in requests had been on file this quarter, with individual applications totaling just over $145,000. Staff also noted recent state legislation allows jurisdictions to allocate up to 15% of collections for workforce housing; committee members asked clarifying questions about that allocation.
The committee handled each grant request as a separate motion and approved them by voice vote. Documentation and budget breakdowns were provided by applicants for the record. The committee will next meet in February; members tabled a proposed set of bylaw edits to allow additional review.
